Sunday, February 20, 2011

All-Star Games

In my opinion, the only sport that offers an all-star game that means anything is the Major League Baseball All-Star game. The NHL all-star game doesn't have the same feeling as a regular NHL game (minimal hits and body-checks, but definitely much better than what the NFL and/or NBA have to offer), the NBA All-Star game is all about offense, and the Pro Bowl is one of the most boring games to watch because nobody tries to tackle anyone.

There needs to be more incentive for playing in an all-star game. The NFL's Pro Bowl doesn't feature any players from the current year's two Super Bowl teams and it's held at the end of each season (when the competitiveness of each player has completely fallen off). I've never seen so many players simply "walking" into the endzone untouched.

Nobody in the NBA wants to try to block a dunk or challenge any shot in the paint. It has become the ultimate celebration of ego-centrism and not about what it claims to be about, "the team". I like watching the dunk contest, the rookie vs. sophomore game, and the celebrity game, but I haven't watched an actual NBA All-Star game for as long as I can remember.

The winner of the MLB All-Star game has home-field advantage in the World Series. If the National League wins, the National League team in the World Series will play 4 game at home instead of 3 (regardless of their record). This brings out the very best in every player participating in the Mid-Summer Classic. That could mean the difference between winning the World Series or losing it. No other sport offers the same thing.

Don't get me wrong, I love all sports. However, when it comes to watching the games' best...I stick to watching baseball. True, baseball is also my favorite sport, but I think that it is the only sport that presents a truly meaningful all-star game.

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